


Quiet

by Star_Gazing_Knight



Series: Lancelot Week 2017 [3]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Crying, Earth, Fluff, Homesick Lance (Voltron), Lancelot Week, Lancelot Week 2017, M/M, Memory Cube, tears of joy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 07:04:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Gazing_Knight/pseuds/Star_Gazing_Knight
Summary: When Lotor asked Lance if he wanted to return to Earth, this wasnotwhat Lance had in mind.  Honestly, Lotor really needed to work on his gift-giving, because while some gifts were A+, others could have been so much better.  Then again, sometimes it's the thought that counts, and sometimes the gift is worth more than one would originally think.





	Quiet

**Author's Note:**

> Day Three of Lancelot Week: Earth/Space.

Lance was going to have to have a major talk to Lotor about his gift giving skills.

Sure, some of the gifts were nice – like the Balmerian Crystal necklace which was full of blue quintessence, or the bouquet of rare never dying flowers from Lyra.  The blaster was by far the most practical – and most used – gift, as it functioned like a bayard but had only a set number of gun and rifle configurations.  While Lotor seemed to succeed with some gifts… Lotor really could have done better on others.    

Like the time Lotor had given Lance a _Pon Farr_ , which was evidently a sex plant.  While Lance was interested in all the possibilities space and aliens opened up, and he did consider himself to have an open mind… he had to draw the line somewhere.  That somewhere turned out to be sex plants.  There was also the time Lotor gave Lance a collection of various poisons with the intent of Lance gaining 'immunity’ to them over time.   The emotion transferring jewelry wasn't exactly appreciated either.   

So, for the record, when Lotor asked Lance if he was interested in returning to Earth… this was not what Lance had in mind. 

What he’d imagined was a chance to introduce Lotor to his family, maybe even shove it in their faces how he’d managed to catch the attention of an Alien Space Prince.  An Exiled Alien Space Prince who was wanted for treason and starting a Civil War, sure, but an Alien Space Prince none-the-less.  He imagined showing Lotor the joys of rain, and maybe even a romantic walk on the beach at sunset or two.

Lance had even imagined a bakery or café date… or three.  He was excited to show Lotor a movie theater, and all the nuances that came with visiting one.  He wanted to show Lotor the wonders of his planet, and where Lance had grown up. 

Of course, he should have known better.  After all, it wasn’t so simple or easy as he’d imagined.  The government probably considered Lance _missing_ or even _dead_ , and Lotor was an _alien_.  So, yeah, they’d have to explain some things to the government which would take up more time than either of them could afford. 

That didn’t mean Lance expected what he got. 

He raised an eyebrow, not impressed – yet – with the gift he’d received.  The tiny glowing cube looked like a tiny piece of cheese, except faintly translucent frosted white.  It floated lazily about an inch or two above his hand, and when Lance moved his hand away on a whim, the cube had drifted just as lazily down. 

Lotor had huffed and swooped it back up, placing it once more in Lance’s outstretched hand.

“Am I supposed to know what this is?”  Lance asked. 

Lotor gave him the patented ‘of-course-oh-wait-you-aren’t-from-space’ look, and cleared his throat.  His gaze slid to the side, in a way that Lance had come to recognize was Lotor’s form of showing embarrassment. 

The corners of Lance’s lips quirked upwards, and he shook his head. Since Lotor was almost always a smooth confident silver-tongued prince, Lance always loved these moments where that fell away, and Lance could see the awkward normal person inside.  It was humbling, and more than a little attractive. 

Lance could see him about to reply, most likely to apologize for his ignorance or something, so Lance cut him off before he could even start.  “So, you gonna tell me what this is, babe, or do I need to guess?” 

Lotor darkened, the way he always did whenever Lance referred to him as ‘babe’.  Perhaps Lotor didn’t like it, but, seeing as he had yet to complain, Lance wasn’t seeing any problems. 

“It’s a memory cube.”  Lotor replied after just a few ticks.  “You can use it to relive a memory, or display one if you want.” 

Lance blinked, looking back down at the cube with renewed interest. 

“I may not be able to bring you back home for now, but I thought this would be the next best thing.  I know how much your home means to you.”  Lotor said.

Okay.  Lance took back every derogatory thought he’d had about this gift so far.  This was the most touching, heartfelt gift Lotor had given him yet.  He couldn’t wait to use it. 

“How do I use it?”  Lance asked. 

“You hold it like this, and think really hard about the memory you want to remember.”  Lotor moved to stand behind Lance, positioning Lance’s hands as he did so.  Lance leaned back on his heels, letting his back fall back against Lotor’s chest without putting all his weight on Lotor. 

One of Lotor’s arms dropped to wrap around Lance’s waist.  Due to the awkwardness of their heights, Lotor’s head rested on Lance’s head.  

“Then you look here,” Lotor tapped the cube with his free hand.  Lance was already looking at the cube, but he blinked, staring more intently as he tried to think of what he wanted to see. 

His first thought was of his family, but no… that was too… private, too personal, too… much.  He’d visit a memory with them another time, when he had the personal space and privacy to grief alone.  Instead he pictured one of his favorite places to visit, and thought about how he wanted to go there again.

He blinked again, and suddenly he was standing knee high in water.  Waves gently washed up against his legs, and when he looked down, he could see tiny silver flashes of fish darting about him. 

Not believing what he was seeing, Lance looked up, gasping as he was blessed with what was one of his most favorite things about Earth: the sky.  The sky was painted in vibrant golden hues of red, orange, and yellow, which steadily darkened to a gorgeous violet blue.  The occasional cloud was highlighted in bright pinks and brilliant silvers.

The horizon of the ocean painted a dark contrast against the bright sky, only broken up by white caps of the surf. 

He knew this place.  He saw it in his dreams. It was painted in the space between his eye and his eyelids.  He would have recognized this place anywhere.  It was a perfect render to what he held in his memories. 

Varadero Beach. 

Lance fell to his knees, ignoring the water that soaked through his clothes.  He didn’t realize he was crying until he licked his lips and tasted the salt of his tears. 

Home.  He was home again.  A sob tore its way out of his throat, as he realized that this was probably the closest he’d get to seeing this place again.  He blinked, tears filling his vision and blurring it until the landscape faded away. 

Through his blurry vision, he could see the wide-open window and the vast wide openness of space that laid beyond it.  The tiny floating cube was still floating in his outstretched hand, and there was the warm reassuring security of Lotor’s arm around his waist.   

Lance grasped the cube, and twisted around in Lotor’s hold until he was face to face with Lotor.  Lance buried his face into Lotor’s chest, letting out another shaking sob. 

Hesitantly, Lotor’s arm patted his back before rubbing up and down.  He inhaled deeply, and Lance cut him off before he could speak because Lance knew what he was thinking. He’d been with Lotor long enough to know what was probably running through his mind. 

Lotor was probably thinking that he’d messed up.  Probably along _Pon Farr_ levels of ‘I messed up’.  But he hadn’t, and Lance really needed Lotor to know that, because this was…

“This is the best thing you’ve ever given me.”  Lance sniffled, turning his head halfway through talking so that his voice wasn’t muffled against Lotor.  Lotor’s hand on his back froze, and Lance could practically hear his confusion when he replied. 

“But you’re crying?”

“Tears of joy.”  Lance said, pulling away enough to look up at Lotor.  He wiped at at his face, smearing the tears.  “I… I never thought I’d see…”  He paused, choked up on the emotions running through him.  “Do you want to see?” 

Lotor was quiet, staring down at Lance for a good couple of ticks before he slowly nodded.  “I’d love to.” 


End file.
